Method, apparatus, and system for signal synchronization

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for signal synchronization are disclosed. The method for signal synchronization includes: A self-synchronizing first terminal device broadcasts first synchronization information, determines whether the first terminal device and a second terminal device have implemented signal synchronization when receiving second synchronization information sent by the second terminal device, and determines, based on a determining result, whether to synchronize with the second terminal device. This reduces a probability of communication interruption caused by synchronization source switching by the first terminal device after the second terminal device performs synchronization by using the first terminal device as a synchronization source. The method for signal synchronization may be applied to scenarios such as the intelligent driving, intelligent connected vehicles, and internet of vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for signal synchronization, comprising:
 broadcasting, by a first terminal device, first synchronization information, wherein the first synchronization information includes a first synchronization signal and a first master information block, and the first terminal device is a terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference; 
 receiving, by the first terminal device, second synchronization information from a second terminal device, wherein the second synchronization information includes a second synchronization signal and a second master information block; 
 remaining, by the first terminal device, as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information; and 
 when the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information,
 receiving, by the first terminal device, third synchronization information from the second terminal device after receiving the second synchronization information and waiting for a random duration, wherein the third synchronization information includes a third synchronization signal and a third master information block, and 
 performing, by the first terminal device, signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as a synchronization source when the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information or remaining, by the first terminal device, as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein that the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information comprises at least one of:
 an identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the second synchronization signal, or a parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the second master information block; and 
 that the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information comprises at least one of: 
 the identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the third synchronization signal, or the parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the third master information block. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information, and after the performing, by the first terminal device, signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as a synchronization source, the method further comprises:
 broadcasting, by the first terminal device, fourth synchronization information when signal quality of the fourth synchronization information received by the first terminal device from the second terminal device is less than or equal to a preset threshold, wherein the fourth synchronization information comprises the second synchronization information or the third synchronization information. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the remaining, by the first terminal device, as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information comprises:
 broadcasting, by the first terminal device, the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information and signal quality of the second synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than a preset threshold; and 
 the remaining, by the first terminal device, as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information comprises: 
 broadcasting, by the first terminal device, the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information and signal quality of the third synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than the preset threshold. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal device and the second terminal device are different vehicles. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for signal synchronization, wherein the apparatus is used in a first terminal device, the first terminal device is a terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference, and the apparatus comprises:
 a receiver, configured to broadcast first synchronization information, wherein the first synchronization information includes a first synchronization signal and a first master information block, and 
 receive second synchronization information from a second terminal device, wherein the second synchronization information includes a second synchronization signal and a second master information block; 
 a processor, configured to enable the first terminal device to remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information; and 
 the processor is further configured to enable the receiver to receive third synchronization information from the second terminal device after receiving the second synchronization information and waiting for a random duration when the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information, wherein the third synchronization information comprises a third synchronization signal and a third master information block, 
 enable the first terminal device to remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information, and 
 enable the first terminal device to perform signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as a synchronization source when the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein that the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information comprises at least one of:
 an identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the second synchronization signal, or a parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the second master information block; and 
 that the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information comprises at least one of: 
 the identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the third synchronization signal, or the parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the third master information block. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein after the first terminal device performs signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as the synchronization source, the receiver is further configured to broadcast fourth synchronization information when signal quality of the fourth synchronization information received by the first terminal device from the second terminal device is less than or equal to a preset threshold, wherein the fourth synchronization information comprises the second synchronization information or the third synchronization information. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein enabling the first terminal device to remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information comprises:
 enabling the receiver to broadcast the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information and signal quality of the second synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than a preset threshold; and 
 enabling the first terminal device to remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information comprises: 
 enabling the receiver to broadcast the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information and signal quality of the third synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than the preset threshold. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first terminal device and the second terminal device are different vehicles. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code that, when executed by a first terminal device or a processor in a first terminal device, enable the first terminal device to:
 broadcast first synchronization information, wherein the first synchronization information includes a first synchronization signal and a first master information block, and the first terminal device is a terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference; 
 receive second synchronization information from a second terminal device, wherein the second synchronization information includes a second synchronization signal and a second master information block; 
 remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information; and 
 when the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information,
 receive third synchronization information from the second terminal device after receiving the second synchronization information and wait for a random duration, wherein the third synchronization information includes a third synchronization signal and a third master information block, and 
 perform signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as a synchronization source when the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information or remain as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein that the first synchronization information is different from the second synchronization information comprises at least one of:
 an identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the second synchronization signal, or a parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the second master information block; and 
 that the first synchronization information is different from the third synchronization information comprises at least one of: 
 the identifier of the first synchronization signal is different from an identifier of the third synchronization signal, or the parameter comprised in the first master information block is different from a parameter comprised in the third master information block. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein after performing signal synchronization by using the second terminal device as a synchronization source, the first terminal device is further enabled to:
 broadcast fourth synchronization information when signal quality of the fourth synchronization information received by the first terminal device from the second terminal device is less than or equal to a preset threshold, wherein the fourth synchronization information comprises the second synchronization information or the third synchronization information. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the remaining as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information comprises:
 broadcasting the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the second synchronization information and signal quality of the second synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than a preset threshold; and 
 the remaining as the terminal device without selected-synchronization-reference when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information comprises: 
 broadcasting the first synchronization information when the first synchronization information is the same as the third synchronization information and signal quality of the third synchronization information received by the first terminal device is greater than the preset threshold. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the first terminal device and the second terminal device are different vehicles.